Ted Wyman, QMI Agency

SOCHI, RUSSIA - The devastation was clear on Alex Gough’s face as soon as she stepped in front of reporters Tuesday following the best finish in Olympic luge by any Canadian athlete.

The best-ever Canadian performance still wasn’t good enough and Calgary’s Gough had to settle for fourth place in an event in which she believed a podium finish was possible.

“Definitely a little emotional, definitely a little disappointed,” Gough said through tears after placing fourth behind Natalia Geisenberger and Tatjana Huefner of Germany and Erin Hamlin of the United States, who became the first North American to ever win an Olympic luge medal.

“Fourth place is definitely the worst feeling. It’s just tough to be that first spot off the podium and to know that I could have been there if I’d had a better day Monday.”

Gough pointed to her first run on Monday as her downfall. She said she didn’t get the line right coming out of Turn 5 and tapped the wall, losing precious time.

“That was it there, it was going to be a fight to claw my way back from then on,” she said.

“I just had one mistake and that was it. I was too far behind. My runs today were great but I just didn’t put myself in a good position with the first run.”

While Gough was agonizing over her fourth-place finish, teammate Kim McRae of Calgary was thrilled with fifth place. No Canadian woman had ever placed higher than seventh at an Olympics before Tuesday night.

“It was pretty amazing,” McRae, 21, said. “It’s truly remarkable to be fifth at the Olympic Games. It’s a great surprise.”